Cops warned against doing ‘unsanctioned’ escort duties for gov’t officials

Police Colonel Manuel Abrugena | CDN file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police who are found giving VIP services to government officials during the duration of the election period will be given administrative sanctions.

Police Colonel Manuel Abrugena, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) chief, gave this warning amid a recent claim of a netizen that a mayoral candidate in southern Cebu was allegedly harassing a barangay official.

Abrugena said that they had yet to validate this claim but he warned police officers who would do escort duties without the approval of the Commission on Election (Comelec).

He said unless approved by the Commission on Elections, police escorts would not be allowed for government officials during the duration of the election period.

“Definitely, kapag walang appropriate approval coming from the Comelec at tsaka po sa AFP and PNP, definitely may violation po na nagagawa,” said Abrugena.

(Definitely, if there is no approval (police escort on government officials)  coming from the Comelec, the AFP and the PNP, there, definitely, is a violation.)

Abrugena said that appropriate administrative sanctions would be imposed against the police officer found violating this rule.

He said the police officer could even be dismissed from service, but that would depend on the gravity of the violation./dbs